Lima Beans

Alabama Black Butterbeans -  Starts shipping 10/22 - Alabama Black Butterbean history is tied to a farmer named Sam Reid of Blount County, Alabama. He offered this seed in 1995 and placed an ad in the Alabama Farmers Bulletin. Bill Peters of Alabaster, Al answered the ad and obtained this cool seed. I lived in the neighboring town in the mid 2000's, Chelsea, Alabama and this is where I first tried and heard the name - Alabama Black Butterbeans.  I never did get any seeds as life gets crazy and years later I regretted it. It was always in the back of my mind to find these seeds. The seeds were found and amazingly hyper local as my friend Craig (of Hillsboro, WI) actually had this seed and shared some with me as he obtained seeds years prior. I grew my first crop in 2025 and boy did it ever flourish   We are lucky to have one of the rarest heirlooms in our collection.  Characteristics:  Good for the North and Great for the South Rarear Popular Lima We Offer Pole Lima bean Medium sized black seeds 85 days for eating, 105 for dried 25 seeds or enough to do 10-12' of fence. Instructions:  Lima beans thrive in hot temperatures. Sow seeds outdoors after the danger of frost has passed and soil and air temperatures have warmed. Seeds will germinate in 7-18 days. Limas prefer full sun.  Direct Seed 2-3" apart or 6" apart if you want to skip thinning. We hold a few seeds back in case we have any gaps.  Planting Depth 1" Rows Apart: 48-72" or we just run them down our fence line.  Full Sun

Christmas Lima - Also knowns as Large Speckled Calico, this variety was first cultivated in the United States around 1840 and produces beautiful, quarter-sized, fat white seeds with maroon spots and swirls.  It has a rich flavor and can be used as shell lima bean or dry bean.  Heavy yields, bears even during extreme heat. Pole habit, 75-100 dys.  Pole bean Large Maroon and White Speckled Seeds Performs well in extreme heat Shelling and Dry bean 75-100 days 50 seeds per packet  Instructions : Lima beans thrive in hot temperatures. Sow seeds outdoors after the danger of frost has passed and soil and air temperatures have warmed. Seeds will germinate in 7-18 days. Limas prefer full sun.  Direct Seed 2" apart Planting Depth 1" Rows Apart: 36-48" Full Sun

We love having this pure white lima bean, especially since Seiva Pole Beans are not available this year.  Dwarf Sieva or Henderson Lima Beans were brought to market by 1889 by Peter Henderson Company of New York. It is quite disease resistance and is the same creamy limas that folks love about Sievas (just a little shorter)  Bush habit, 60-75 days.  Characteristics:  Bush bean Seeds are white and small Disease resistant Shelling and Dry bean 60-75 days 1/2 ounce of seeds per packet  Instructions - Lima beans thrive in hot temperatures. Sow seeds outdoors after the danger of frost has passed and soil and air temperatures have warmed. Seeds will germinate in 7-18 days. Limas prefer full sun.  Direct Seed 2" apart Planting Depth 1" Rows Apart: 36-48" Full Sun

 Firefly Farm & Mercantile -  Sieva Lima, aka Carolina Lima or Small White Lima. This lima is our most popular lima we offer. Folks love the rich butter bean flavor. The vines will reach 10' and on our 6' fence we tend to trim them to 7' so it spurs them into bean production a little quicker since our farm is in a valley. Our stock will be limited in 2026 as we partner with small farms to grow the stock we need to meet our gardeners' needs. The cool nights help to ripen the seed so it is happy up north but must be started right away once it is warm enough. Sieva is very productive and those in zones 6-10 will enjoy long harvests while those in zones 5 and cooler  weather will need to maximize their harvest by ensuring proper watering and excellent soil for them to grow in.  Characteristics:  Good for the North and Great for the South Most Popular Lima We Offer Pole Lima bean Small white seeds 75 - 90 days 25 seeds or enough to do 10-12' of fence. Instructions:  Lima beans thrive in hot temperatures. Sow seeds outdoors after the danger of frost has passed and soil and air temperatures have warmed. Seeds will germinate in 7-18 days. Limas prefer full sun.  Direct Seed 2-3" apart or 6" apart if you want to skip thinning. We hold a few seeds back in case we have any gaps.  Planting Depth 1" Rows Apart: 48-72" or we just run them down our fence line.  Full Sun

This beloved lima has not arrived to our garden shop yet. Please place your order and we will not hold up anything else while we wait for it to arrive.  Southern Exposure Seed Exchange -  Banks County, GA, saved by 4 generations of Violet Brady Westbrook’s family. Introduced 2009 by SESE. A rainbow of seed colors - cream, beige, red-brown, and violet-purple, with speckles and swirls. Small seeds have great flavor, good fresh or dried. 3-5 in. pods. Certified Organic  Heirloom  Especially well-suited to the South-East  From Small Farms  Good Disease and drought resistant  80-90 days to bloom Instructions - Limas need warm soils, so wait to direct sow until at least 2 weeks after the last frost.  Plant seeds 2-3 in. apart, thinning to 4-6 in. Be sure the soil is well drained.  Limas can be used fresh when beans fill the pod, or they can be left to dry in the pod to be used as dried beans. Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute seed vendors from time to time because of the availability

Potawatomi Lima Bean - A vigorous and heavy producer. In our zone 4 garden we plenty to eat and plenty to raise for seed.   If you want to try limas for the first time, this would be one of my top choices. We grow this variety in our heirloom gardens at Firefly Farm & Mercantile in Cashton, Wisconsin.  The Potawatomi lima was stewarded by the Potawatomi Nations of southern Michigan. They are one of the top limas for the north. They can be braised, boiled, or sauted fresh. They always provide us with creamy and delicious dishes.   Characteristics:  Good for the North and Great for the South Prolific producer Pole Lima bean 85 days for eating, 105 for dried 10 or 25 seeds or enough to do 10-12' of fence Instructions:  Lima beans thrive in hot temperatures. Sow seeds outdoors after the danger of frost has passed and soil and air temperatures have warmed. Seeds will germinate in 7-18 days. Limas prefer full sun.  Direct Seed 2-3" apart or 6" apart if you want to skip thinning. We hold a few seeds back in case we have any gaps.  Planting Depth 1" Rows Apart: 48-72" or we just run them down our fence line.  Full Sun

The Seed Savers Exchange - In 2004 Helen & H. Lee Thomas of West Virginia donated this variety to SSE. They received the seeds from H. Lee’s grandfather, Wick B. Smith of Sandyville, West Virginia, who had grown this variety since at least the 1930s. Seeds are either white with dark purple mottling or solid purple. The fresh shelling limas are sweet, while dry limas are also nutty. Pole habit, 90-110 days. Characteristics:  Organic Pole bean Slightly curved pods Flat seeds are either white with dark purple mottling or solid purple Fresh shelling limas are sweet, dry limas are nutty tasting 90-100 days to dry beans Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors after the danger of frost has passed and soil and air temperatures have warmed. Harvest frequently to increase yield. Pods can be left on the vine to mature and then harvested as dry beans. Direct Seed 2" apart Planting Depth 1" Full Sun